Word to your Motha...

...and to mine :)

When I heard that my mom had decorated her house, I was amped about sharing her mad skills in Christmas decorating. Armed with my SLR and my old house key, I busted a move open the front door and started clicking away. And boy, I was not disappointed. Her traditional style with a theme-y foundation has some infusions of modern elements, cheap decor ideas, and of course, classic yule-tide inspiration.

Nativity scene takes centerstage in the great room. The wee baby Jesus' manger gets an upgrade with some holly and berries to add a little more color to the overall brown-ness. And a bigger-than-the-barn angel joins the oohing & aahhing crew (if I were God, I would get the little tike a body guard too...come on, anyone heard of Herod the baby-killer?!?) as well as a couple flanking urns.

Also in the great room is the main event - the Christmas tree. This year's theme was "Woodland Birds" and she scored enough feathered friends to complete the tree and have some to spare.

Upon closer inspection, you can see the tree also has some ornaments curtesy of the backyard. Branches were free from some 'local' bushes as well as the berries and some vacated birds nests.

Tying in the mini-valances with her color scheme, the tree boasts gold, red and a touch of sparkle. Yes, sparkle is technically a color.

Some of her ornaments were antiques....like this glass one with the handpainted wings and the super sleek tail feathers.

And some were newer additions. I liked this silver and white one that boasted the real white feather plume.

Mom's dining room was oozing with the silver and white decor. The mercury glass tree, the tall beaded cone-tree, and the random ornaments were my favorite.

Also - I just adore the whole throw-a-bunch-of-ornaments-in-a-vase-and-call-it-a-day idea. Her buffet is ready for any event as she has her punch bowl, stacked glass plates, and serving dishes already out.

Mom goes modern in the kitchen with cone shaped trees of various heights adorning the island. I especially like that she chose an area that had great overhead lighting to make this festive display. The lighting effects make the trees sparkle even in a dark room and immediately make me believe that all trees look like this in the North Pole.

Above the television is another wintery display that goes along with the Woodland birds theme. The biggest abandoned nest make a nice home for ornamental gold eggs...Laid by the Christmas bird. Some small pine cones got a quick dusting of gold spray paint to tie in nicely with the color scheme.

A Christmas fireplace without stockings?! That's right people...my mother is just as nuts as me...and her fixation is not animals with clothing...it's stockings on the mantle. Put them ANYWHERE but the mantle. and no - it's not because she thinks it is a fire hazard...been there, asked that.

Her swirly fireplace screen protects innocent fingers from glowing balls of fire and the poinsettias add some softening up of all that brick.

Even her stocking-less mantle got into the swing of things, with some pheasants, berries (cause that is what birds eat) and some fruit-filled and ribbon garland.

And lastly, the foyer table top display. Two mini trees got a winter-wonderland version of the woodland birds theme with white toille, white ornaments, white nests, and some albino birds...also known as doves :)

So that's the end of mom's tour-de-house...I know it is a very traditional approach to decor but different folks, different strokes, right?! And if it IS up your alley...err...neck of the woods, then great! I know my mom would love knowing that she is an inspiration...and you are mom...to me :)

And the next time you guys see a bird (or a tree for that matter), wouldja mind throwin a prayer around for mi madre? She had ACL surgery on her knee this past week so she is now a crippled gimp. How did she get all mangled? Oh, she was jumpin on the trampoline trying to grab a tree branch. I don't know many grandma's who do that either. Oh & quick question - Mom - is that how you got the branches for the Christmas tree!?!